#GrammarSeries – There’s a difference between these words

English language can be confusing even after many years of using it to communicate. Words that sound or look alike don’t help the situation.

Here are three words (in pairs) that you may have been confusing.

Its and it’s.

‘Its’ is a possessive form of ‘it’ while ‘it’s’ is a contraction for it is or it has. Most people get confused because of the ‘s which usually means something is possessive.

Are you confused? Whenever you use it’s check to see if replacing it with it is or it has will make any sense if it does, you are correct.

For example;

It’s been raining all week now the streets are flooded.

It’s one of the hardest courses in its history

They’re ,Their and There.

Although these words sound alike they do not mean the same thing.

‘There’ is used to indicate a place. It is the opposite of here

Your bag is there not here.

‘Their’ is a possessive adjective used before a noun. It shows that something belongs to a group of people.

I went to see my cousins. Their house is beautiful.

‘They’re’ is a contraction for they are.

Your children are beautiful – they’re beautiful

Censure and Censor.

Censure /ˈsɛnʃə/. This is used to express severe disapproval of (someone or something), especially in a formal statement. It is also used to refer to the formal expression of severe disapproval.

Censor /ˈsɛnsə/. This means to examine (a book, film, etc.) officially and suppress unacceptable parts of it. It can also be used to refer to an official who examines books, films, news, etc. that are about to be published and suppresses any parts that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.

The board of education has censured the school principal because he tried to censor the students’ newspaper.